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Historic Formula Vee cars take a lap of honor around Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26 before the start of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Photo by Volkswagen Motorsport

Formula Vee, Volkswagen celebrate 50 years of racing with Daytona party

January 26, 2013

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Any time a racing series is able to last 50 years, it's remarkable, but in the case of Volkswagen's Formula Vee series, it's extraordinary.

On Jan. 26, in the shadow of Daytona International Speedway, Volkswagen celebrated the 50th birthday of the Formula Vee series. What makes the celebration even more notable is the fact that when it started in 1963, Volkswagen didn't even have much to do with it.

“This celebration is not about Volkswagen Motorsport,” said Jost Capito, the director of the German manufacturer's motorsport division. “This is about you who made Volkswagen Motorsport. This is your event. Not ours.”

While Volkswagen had a huge impact on Formula Vee, it wasn't a Volkswagen initiative when it started in 1963. Rather, it was a series created by Americans. The concept was to take parts from a Volkswagen Beetle (front axle, steering, engine and gearbox) and build a tubular frame around it to make a light (around 800 pounds) race car.

The series, with the promotional help of Porsche, grew in popularity and eventually became a grooming series for some of the best drivers in motorsport.

With a history that includes drivers like Formula One world champions Keke Rosberg and Nelson Piquet, IndyCar star and current team owner Michael Andretti, and two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, there is little doubt Formula Vee had some serious star power.

Michael Andretti is a product of the Formula Vee series. Photo by Volkswagen Motorsport

"Seeing the Formula Vee cars brings back wonderful and funny memories," Andretti said. "The time I spent at Conte Racing with Super Vee was an important springboard for my later career. Back then, we drove alongside the Indy series, which meant that a lot of team owners were looking on and spotting talent. And thanks to my success in Formula Super Vee, people saw that there was more than just one Andretti."

Volkswagen honored that history by having several of the former drivers on hand for the celebration.

“It's great to be here,” Luyendyk said. “It's great to be celebrating Formula Vee. When I was growing up, my father built Formula Vee cars. I grew up on Formula Vee. It's a big part of my life.

The driver also said that the series had a big impact on his decision to move to the US.

“I fell in love with America when I was over here racing Formula Vee. I think that's what ultimately made me choose to stay and continue my racing career here.”

The celebration saw drivers and fans converge for an afternoon spent honoring the series and its creators and participants. It even included an abbreviated field of Formula Vee cars doing two ceremonial laps on the famed track at Daytona.

“Formula Vee has a huge tradition,” Capito said. “There were a lot of really good race drivers and a lot of characters. They deserve to a celebration to honor the people who started it. This isn't an initiative of Volkswagen. It's an initiative of the individuals.”